Grading machine



L. A. COGSWELL 1,820,010

GRADING MACHINE Filed Sept. 19, .1928 7 Sheets-Sheet l ug 1931. L. A. COGSWELL 1,820,010

I GRADING momma:

Filed Sept. 19, 1928' 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 1931. A. COGSWELL 1,820,010

GRADING MACHINE Filed Sept. 19, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 25, 1931- L. A. COGSWELL 1,820,010

GRADING MACHINE Filed Sept. 19, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet -4 Aug. 25, 1931. L. A. COGSWELL 0,

" GRADING MACHINE Filed Spt. 19, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet e Aug. 25, 1931. A. COGSWELL 1,320,010

GRADING MACHINE FiIed'S ept. 19. 19 28 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Patented Aug. 25, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LEANDLR A. ooeswELL, DECEASED, LATE OFHEN'NIKER, NEW HAMPSHIRE, BY

EDWARD M. CGGSWELL, or HENNIKEB, AND' RTHUR M. HEARD AND FRANK L. GLAEKE, or MA HEsTrs,- New HAMPSHIRE, EXEGU'IORS, ASSIGNORS T LAGENE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, or MANCHasrEn, ew HAMPSHIRE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE GRADI G MACHINE A Application filed September 19, 1928. Serial No. 306,978.

This invention relates to grading machines of the kmd which grade died-out pieces of leather such as .cut soles, taps, heel lifts,

counters or other blanks, in accordance with vthe thickness ofthe thinnest spot as detccted by the detector. I

,tionally connected with it a sprocket wheel The present machine consists in certain improvements upon grading machines of the kind illustrated in Letters Patent. of the United States to Nichols, No. 1,582,140,

dated April 27, 1926, and in Letters Patent of the United States to Cogswell No. 1,636,- -1-87, issued October 2, 1928, on applicatlon Serial No; 176315, filed March 18, 1927.

In the accompanyingdrawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the machine,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portionof the machine shown in Fig. 1; p

3 is a section on.l ine 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig; 91 is an enlargeddetail showing some of the parts illustrated in 3;

Fig. 5 is a section on line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a partial section on line 66 of Fig. 7 is a detail in elevation showing the grade marking device;

Fig. 8 is a section on line 88 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a partial section on line 9-9 of s- 9' A Figs. 10.and 11. are details hereinafter described; and g g .Figs. 12, 13, and. 14 illustratea modification of the feeding and detecting rolls and their gearing shown 1n Flg. 9.

lrepresents the main.shaft of the'machine which is also the shaft. of theupper,

fixed, detecting and feeding roll 2.

The shaft 1 has mounted upon and fric- 3 (Fig. 1) which is connected by a sprocket cha1n72 with another sprocket. wheel on shaft 7tto drive the shaft .74 in. the direcre F' 3 de um 0. nc arrows 111. l s. 2, an

Shaft 1 is driven by a motor 9 which acts through aworm 7-and a worm wheel 6.

The motor!) is mounted upon a bracket fast to the frame of the machine.

The worm wheel 6 is loose on shaft 1 and one ata time to the detecting and feeding rolls 2 and 17. y

The lower detecting roll 17. is supported at its ends in bearings at the forward ends of two arms 18 (Figs. 1 and 2), one at each side of the machine, whose rear ends are formed with longitudinal trunnions 19 (Fig.

1) mounted to swivel in bearing blocks 20, each having trunnions 21 (Fig. 2) mounted in bearings on the frame of the machine so as to rock on a transverse axis. This providesfa. universal joint at the rear end of each arm 18 to accommodate the necessary up and down independent feeling ordetecting movements at the opposite ends of the lower roll 1.7 in response to the unevenness of the blanks as they pass between the detecting rolls.

Connecting the forward ends of the arms 18 is a cross bar 22 (Figs. 2 3 and 9) pressed strongly upward by two bell-crank levers. 23 fulcrumed on the frame of the machine and having their depending arms connected by a. spring 25 which is normally under stress, all as more fully shown in said Patent No. 1,686,487. Stop screws 24 (Figs. 2 and 9) on the frame of the machine engage levers 23 to limit the extent of upward movement of the lower detecting roll 17.

Upon the under sidejof the cross bar 22 are two circular plates or discs 150 of hard- .ened steel against which the ends of levers .23 bear. clamped to the cross bar 22 by a central These bearing discs are each bolt 151 sothat as a disc becomes worn a fresh surface may be presented to the lever many of the holes of the two series of holes 23 by a simple rotative adjustment of the disc.

Each arm 18 also has pivotally connected with its forward end one of the two ends of a yoke or cross bar26 (Figs; 2, 3 and 9) having trunnions 26 at its ends which are supported in bearings at the ends of the arms 18. The yoke 26 has pivotally connected to it the upper ends of two rods 26 by means. ofpins 26 which may beinserted- 26 provided in the yoke 26. The lateral spacing of the two rods 26, and their position below the detecting rolls, may thus be varied. Each rod 26 carries at its. lower. end a transverse pin 30 which is engaged by anot'ch or hook 31 of an arm 33, formed with a split hub clamped by means of screw 33 to a rock shaft 34. Thus the arms 33 maybe adjusted on rock shaft 34 to correspond to the lateral adjustment of the rods 26. *As the notches 31 engage the tops of the pins 31 andare open at the under side, either rod 26 may move vertically independently of the other in response to tilting movements of the lower detecting roll 17,

'. and any upward movement of either end of the roll 17 in response to a thin spot in the blanl'r being measured will be transmitted to the rock shaft 34 notwithstanding the other edge of the blank may be relatively thi'cltand consequently may not. move the other'rod 26 to the sameflextent. It will be understood that when a sole or' other blank which is thicker at one side than at the other passes between detecting rolls 2' and .17 the tilting of the roll 17, acting through the free endsof arms 18, will tilt the yoke 26 to the same extent so that the two rows of holes26 will at all times remain parallel to the axis of roll 17; consequently the vertical ad iustment of rods 26, effected by the detection of the blank, will correspond to the tilted position of the lower detecting roll occasioned by a transversely uneven blank, and the angular achustment ofv the ment, so that the middle region of the blank will not be acted upon by the detecting mechanism, and the rolls may be adjusted to suit blanks of different widths and to vary the width of the margins to be measured. By adjustably connecting the rods 26', 2'6

' to the middle region ofthe yoke 26*, instead of. to the ends of arms 18, as in said Patent No. 1,686,487, the rods 26', 26 may be placed V as nearly as possible in line below the efiecoperated upon.

; ca ton tivc pinch of the rolls 2 and 17 where they act on the blanks. the rods 26 act directly on the arms 33 and impart to the rock shaft 34 a movement corresponding in degree tn: the tilting movement of the detecting roll 17 at the effective point where said roll performs its measuring function; instead of transmitting their motion. torthe. rock shaft 34 through: the link and cross bar mechanism shown in said. Patent No. 1,686,487. This results in. greater accuracy in the adjustment of. the grading devices which are to be set in accordance with the thinness measurements of the blanks, simplifies theeonstruction, and elim inates several points of friction and wear.

The blanks pass through the machine endwise with the medianline of each approximatel y coinciding with the center line A-B, Fig. 9, of the machine, and the two rods 26 are positionedequidistant from the center line and separated one from the other a distance approximately the same as the average distancebetween the margins to be measured of blanks of the size to be As already explained the parts may be adjusted laterally to suit different runs of blanks of different sizes.

one side of the" machine (Fig. 2) the rock shaft 34 extends outside of the frame and has fastened thereto a: relatively long "ari-n 35 whose free end is formed with a vertical hole through which extends the lower end of arod 36-, said rod being provided immediatelybelow the arm 35 with a head 37 in the form of a' nut against which said arm 35 is yieldingly held by a spring 38 mounted on rod 36, the upper end of said spring bearing against an abutment collar 39 adyustably secured to the rod 36.

vThe upper end of the rod 36 extends through and is secured. to two lugs projecting from a rack slide 41,. which has sliding engagement with a guide block 42, pivotally mounted on the frame of the machine. Said guide block 42 serves to maintain the teeth of rack slide 41 in engagement with a. pinion 43 fast on shaft 44 of the visual indi- The straight rack 41 is more accurate in transmitting the grade detections than the segmented rack shown in said Patent No. 1,686,487 since it. acts on a straight line instead of on the arc of. a circle. The shaft 44 carries the usual pointer 45 cooperating with an arcuate scale or dial 46 fixed t'othe frame of the. machine. The dial 46 is graduated irons and is traversed by the pointer 45 when the shaft 44 is rotated or rocked. The visual indicator mechanism is substantially as shown. and described in said Patent No. 1,686,487 except. that the shaft" 44 is extended inwardly beyond the two ratchet wheels 47 and 48 to receive upon it a gear 100.

Also the lower ends of 1 toward their ratchet wheels} The paw-1149 cooperates as usual with antarmf55 fast on rock shaft 56 journaled at its ends in v bearings on the frame of the machine. Near .its middle this rock shaft 56 is provided i ywith the usual rearwardly extendingwhori- -zontalv arm'or rod 57 disposed above the work table 58, overwhich the soles'or other blanks are delivered by'the feeding-and de- :tecting rolls 2 and 1 7., The arm 157 "has 1 adjustably'lsecured to it a depending bracket 1 59 :carrying' at its lower end a thin roll orwheel ,60 whose lower periphery restslin 'a groove 61' formed in a narrow elevated runway 62 provided on top the narrow, grooved runwayv62 inclines up- 'wardly and increases in height progressivezly and uniformly from the detecting rolls rearwardly; As a blank emerges from the detecting rolls 2 and 17 it .passes' up the .runway 62 and underneath-the roller 60, Zthereby raising: the, latter, and when the blank clears the detecting and; feeding rolls .itcomes torest on top ofthe runway 62-L.

As explained in said Patent No. 1,686,487, when theadvance end ofa blank passes under andlifts roll 60 .it' results in setting the. pawl 49. and locking (the pointer against being thereafter turned to the :right to indicate a thicker spot in the blank, but can move only to the left (Figs. 2 and 3) in a direction to indicate the measurement of a thinner spot in the blank. Until the ad- Vance end of the blank has reached and lifti0.:ed roll the indicating mechanism does not and 17 is measured, but only with reference to successively thinner spots encountered by the detecting rolls, allas more fully explained in said PatentcNo. 1,686,487.

Hence by setting the roller 60 at the desired distance from'rthe detecting rollers, the grading of the advance end of the blank, such as the heel part of a sole, maybe omitted while the rest of the blank, which passes through the detecting rollers after the advance end of the blank has lifted roller 60,,will be graded.

As more fully"explain'ed in said Patent No. 1,686,487, the driving connection tetween the eontinuously driven shaft land the transverse shaft 74, including the chain .72, is controlled by thetrip ar m]57 androck shaft v56 to connect or disconnect shaft 74 'with the driving shaft 1. QThe means by (3 which thisdrivingconnection is controlled mechanism, not shown, bytaneaiis" of which the sprocket Wheel: on shaft 1 74', chain 172,- is: connected with-zen' disconnected from shaft =7 4-. In opeiati on,-; .eac-hp time the vrock shaft '56 "and 231111 1902110;011g

-'machine. 'All this, isdescribed in: .Cletaillin said PatentNo.1,686,487,; V -:1' 'At the middle'of' shaftz74-is' a-x'double arm crank -101,'(Figs. 2, 3,\and 4.) connectcd by of the table go 58. The table 58 is horizontal, as usuahbut At thefront side tithe-lilac,

T permost position again, where it-d'w' e lls' until the shaft 74 makes another ie'volution. "On the lower'end df' -plung'er" '10 the 'i ort' ype 11 3 which Carri other :desired inscription? a "plunger i09fldeliversja qiii 7 against the .top offthefbl a iwhi'jcliis be 0 i fed ifnto' the maiohine,fthef c I mark on 1 the blank; i This ,operat so as to start and stop'atherotation of shaft 74 includes an arm 'fastkon'one "endL-of the rock .shaft 56 outside of thelframe-of the machine and *'-connectedi ;-wit h fa clutch to driven-toy operatfonremoves. from themachine agradblank i drops and operates thrdughEF armam, the

clutch and cause asinglegrotation v p 74 by; which Ya I newt bllank" isle-fed into the reate'r m a linkh93 with afeedslide e102; (Fig-.21)

: slidably mounted in a": slot pr'ovided-in; botmom Wall or .table 63 offthe hopper H .;:zEach M revolution of. the "crank shaft-:74 impaii-ts one,reciprocatory-movement to thefeed slide 102 thereby feeding forwa'rclto the detecting rollsz2 andl7 the lowermost blank-S with-ii the hopper 1 inetlfigt) the crank shaft; 7 41 extends to; the outside of the frame and has fixerl fitheretoaasprocket wheel 103 connected by a chain 1 11i withta ts sprocket wheel 105i fast on thee-shaft"; journaled; in hearings; on the. frames of the lmachiner This shaft.106-extends-1inwardly from the sprocket fw'hee1 to-a point. near the ,middle of the machin,e:lwhereitxis provide d at its innerend with cam 2, 3 and 6)- cooperating witha s'houkler 108 u provlded on, a plunger l'09amounted {t0;-.Sl1(l0 g-vertlcally withinways.provlded by bra clcet H, the cam 107-is si-nniltaneouslyrotated; and is so timed withniespectqto'i the -:sho1-1lderfi108 that when thejfeeding movement of: the shaft the shoulder 108,; permitting agspring 1 12 to throw the plunger! sharply. downward. Immediately thereafter'j the*- 'cam r107 picks up the plunger 109 andrest'ores-it to its up 1 "als correspond-'1 fare the slrsfit 74 cornfiletesa its movement, but.- the in this respect may he as adjusting the shaft 106 and sprocket lsQfif relflrvcl-y one to the The spring? for forcing the plunger dmuwud at its lower end L w .h'. the phmger 109' and d3" upper and ii:- thimble. 114, which in tum: is: suppctted an adjustable abutment screw 1125: in" 2 lug 116 s be: adjusted; 7 It: will be: understood that the spot. in a blink as determined by than detectorvisually indicated the pointer the dial &6, adjustment: ski detcctur roll 157 acting thrown 26 mils-26', arms; 33', rock shaft 34,-arr'n 35, rod 36, rack lide 41, pinion Q3 and painter shalt 44-. Simultaneous- 1y, 3 cmrresponding rot atime adjustment will he imparted through 1117- snd- 118 to The shaft 113 has fixed? tn one end thereof a marking or stazripingwheel 120 providedi upon its periphery a series of grading types 121? wl'iielnccnsist: of numerto the the dial 4601' the indicator. The angular of these *5 marking characters is such that the ista iime between: twe adjacent diameters is: the as the angular movement imparted; to 1% when the pointer 45 moves. from of the numerals on: the: dial 46 to. the next numeral abcve orbeluw; that: pointer 45 is positioned at any onejef the: numerals on dial 46,, the correspendingnumeral b n wheel 129 willut the same time be itioned dircctlgx beneath axisef sha 1119.

A plunger 121, upper end slides in a hole 122* warticwl'ly through the bed plate 54:1 almgsiduofithe gym of the runway 62 is: positioned directly below the: sign me in; with the operative type on stumping? wheel-i 129;. The enlar 1 d lower part 123-bit. the plunger 121 is for ad (Fig, 8) and. straddles an operating arm herein shown as a vertically disposed plate piloted st ll-25- to. bracket 126 3.), depending from the bed plateor table 58,, Beneath the: @111 r: operating arm- 12! is a coil sprih'gf'1 27 %earin at its upper end against th'xa'rm'124' an at its lower end against. a shelf 128 which is .a

part of bracket 129 secured: to and depending from. the bed plate'lfi; Av pin'13'0 extends across the iorks' ofthe: enlarged part "r The free. end of 124.- en

sid'e'oi the tail- 132 (Fig; 4): of a lever" 133 other arm 136 of said lever 133 is pt its tree. end with: at shoulder 13 which cooperates: with a'shoulder 138 extending,

imam I .123 of the: plunger, and'through a slot" 131 fornzied ini-thc'arm 124:. Normally this rests mgainst the lower end of slot 131. gagcsthe under voted ati13 l w n-bracket depending mm the under-side 0f the bed plate 58 The rovi'ded laterally. fiom the trigger 139.. This trigget 139 ismade with an arm 140 which is normally held: against the top of the: cross bum hyxa spring 141, and when there: is

m blank between the two detecting rolls;

the cross bar22 will occupy an elevated positionwhere it= holds the shoulder 138 on trigger 139 out of the path ofthe shoulder "137' on. lever 133. Thea-partswill be in the position shown in'the. drawings when there,

is no blink between: the detecting rolls.

henthe advance: end of a forwardly led blzmk' enters between the detecting rolls '2 and 17,. shortly afterz'the start. of each rotation imparted to shafit 74;, the roll 17 is depressed carrying with it'the cross bar 22.

This downwardmovement of cross bar 22 permits; the trigger 139 to swing to the right 4)- under the influence of spring 141,

thus liringing'thc shoulder 138 oilithe triggar intmthe path of the. end of lever 133. A shoulder 142 at the top of thetrigger engages the underside of the bed plate 58 to limit movement of the trigger to the right This positioning-oil the trigger 139" occurs neartlie start of the rotation: of the double crank. 101 on shaft 74,: and as the crank 101 enters the latter part of its rotation it strikes the lowerarm-136 of the lever 133 and: swings the latter upward into at.

position. where the shoulder 138 is latched beneath theshoulder 13? on-lever 133. The

mmvemeutthusimparted to lever 133 by the crank 101 swings the tail piece- 132 downward and depresses the free end of arm 124 so that'when the lever 1331s caught and latched by the trigger, the spring 127 is held under? compression.

.Whcnwth-e rear 01' following end of the blank emerges from between the feeding and detecting rolls 2 and 17, the latter will rise under the influence 0i sparing carrying with; itithev cross bar 22 and thereby swinging the trig er-139 to the left and disengagging the shoulder 138 from the shoulder 137 of the lever 133. The trigger 139 is pivoted at 1&4 on a bracket 1443 (.Fig'. 3) secured to the bed plste' 58. As soon as the lever 133 is thus unlatchedand disengaged from thetrigger the spring 127 is released and projects the plunger 121 upwardly against the under side of" the blrn which is now on top 'of the runway .62, thereby driving the topside of the blank sharply against one of the marking types on the periphery of marking wheel 120. During the first part of this upward movement of the plunger by spring 127 acting through the arm 124, the pin 130 rests against the side of the bed plate 58, the slot 131 permits the plunger to continue its upward movement and to strike on the under side of the blank in a manner of a projectile.

Thus it will be seen that the visual indi-- cator and the type wheel are simultaneously and correspondingly adjusted in accordance withthe grade of the blank as determined by the detecting rolls, and that when the detecting and measuring operation is com- 7 pleted, the stamping or marking mechanism the machine. 'marking mechanism 1s automatically coni the blank leaves the detecting rolls.

will be automatically actuated the instant the blank leaves the detecting rolls and comes to rest onthe runway 62. a

The typeson the marking wheel 120 are inked by an inking roll 143 made with a felt covered periphery 144 which has a roll-' ing engagement with the projecting types on the type wheel. The felt cover 144 is saturated with ink, which is transferred to the types 120 as the type wheel 120 is rotated back and forth in unison with the movements of the pointer 45. The inking roll 143 is journalled on a stud projecting from a bracket 145 secured to a pedestal 146, The

tending bracket 147 which provides bearings for the shaft 119 and the'trunnion'of the intermediate gear 117. 1

Grading machines equipped for evening or skiving the blanks, have heretofore been provided with marking mechanism for stamping or prlntmg on the blanks thelr appropriate grade marks, but in such machines the marking mechanism has been directly controlled by the skiving mechanism at the delivery end of the machine, or by a special trip or actuator operated by the blank as it approaches the delivery end of In the present invention the trolled and operated from the detecting mechanism, as distinguished from the skiving mechanism or a special additional trip, and the stamping is performed the instant This isb'elieved to be new in grading machines and it is within the contemplation of the 1 present invention that the grade marking mechanism above described, actuated from the detecting rolls, may be embodied in other grading machines of this general character for skiving, distributing or otherwise acting upon the blank, as well as in avisual indicating machine, so long as the stamping mechanism is controlled from the detectgears.

ing rolls independently of other trips or grading devices as the blank passes through the machine.

ried by rack slide 41, so that the rack slide 41 operates both the pinion 43 for adjusting the visual indicator and the pinion 148 for adjusting the type wheel.

An important modification illustratedjin Figs. 12, 13 and 14 will now be described. In grading machines of this general character, whether visual indicating machines of the kind herein-shown, or machines for even ing or performing other operations on a measured blank, it has been the practice to make the feeding and detecting rolls 2 and 17 of the same diameter, as best illustrated in Figs. 3 and 9, and to connect them for positive rotation together by ordinary spur gears 15, 16 at each end. Said gears have been of standard involute shape with teeth of'sufiicient length to remain intermeshed at all times during the movement of separation of the feeding and detectingrolls, whereby the loweror yielding roll is positively driven through'said gearing by the upper or fixed roll, which is driven from the main drive shaft. By reason of the constant relative movement between the gears of the two sets during the detecting operation of the machine as the yielding roll moves up and down, there is a constant rubbing engagement between the teeth of the two sets of gears which results in friction, wear and un- It is also a novel feature of" the present'invention to utilize the-shaft44 desirable resistance in the movements of the yielding roll due to the meshing of the lustrated in Figs. 12, 13 and 14 is to provide a construction in which the lower yielding roll will be driven by the upper fixed roll through the gearing in the usual way when no blank is between the rolls, but in which the instant a blank enters between two rolls, the gears will be automatically disengaged one from the other and will remain disen gaged to rotate outof contact with one another during the passage of the blank between the rolls, the lower yielding roll being rotated as an idler roll by direct frictional contact with the passing blank. This leaves the lower yielding roll free to rotate and to move up and down in response to variations: in thickness of the blank, without any re- The object of the improvementil sistanee whatever from-,themeshing of the gears, lmmediately after. the blank enters the] roll, thus affording the yielding roll,

which is unimpeded by contact between the si'gea-r teeth, .greater freedom and delicacy of action in its measuring operation as well gears 15 and 16 correspond respectively to the spur gears 15 and 16 of the other form, but instead of being an ordinary convenytional form of gears, they are specially shaped gears as illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14. The front or active faces 155 of-the upper or driving gear teeth, .considered with reference to the direction of rotation of the ggears asindicated by the arrows, are of conventional form and engage the rear or active faces 15.6 of the lower gear teeth,

which are also of-conventional fornnto drive the lower roll in the usual way when no swblank is between the rolls ,2 and 17. The rear, inactive faces of the teeth of gearsl and the front, inactive faces of the/teeth of gears 16*" are cut away or mutilated, asshown respectively at 157 and 158, so as to Stiprovide spaces or clearancesbetween theteeth at that side. 7

Before and at the time-when the blank is presented to the feeding and detectingrolls, the two gears ofzeach pa1r-=are 1n intermeshed a engagement and the gears 16 are being driven by the gears 15 in the usual way, but

as soon as the forward end of ithe blank has entered between the tworolls, the blank is carried forward by the upperroll 2 alone, m'the slightly smaller lower ml} 15 turning over with the movement of the blank but a slightly greater angular :speed thanathe roll 2. Fig. shows the position of the gears before the blank enters between the aoijrolls or at the instant when the blank e'ntcrs the nip of the roll. Fig. 14-showsthe posi-.

tion of the gears when the blank S is part way through the rolls. the blank enters between the rolls the teeth fa'fiof gear 16 will be moved ahead of the teeth of gear 15 byreason 0f the sligt hly greater speed ofthexsmaller roll 17,.so that there will be no engagement between the-teeth of thegears 15 and 16 during the passage of-the Gt fblitfik between the detecting and feeding rolls. This leaves the lower detector roll 17 free to follow the irregailarities of. the blank without any resistance whatever from the meshing of the gears immediately after the blank enters the rolls;- In practice the From the instant 1 lower roll may j be made about: 3/64 of an inch less in ,diameter than the upper roll 2; This will provide for anincreafsed speed of rotation of the lowergear 16' appropriate for handling soles or other blanks of usual lengtlrwithout danger of the cutaway faces of the teeth ofthe lower gears 16 over-taking the cut away faces of the teeth of the upper gears 15: before the b'lankis delivered from between the rolls.

Although the operation .of the machine has been explained in connection with the foregoing description, it maybe briefly summarized as follows: i

When the clutchconnects the continuously driven shaft 1 to the shaft 74, to impart thereto a single revolution, the lowermost blank S in themagazine H is fed forward bythe feeds-lide 102 to the nip of the feed: ing and detecting rolls 2, 17. 1 At the proper instant (which-maybe regulated by adjustment) the trade mark stamp 1-13 is operated from :shaft 74 through sprocket chain 111 to emboss the blank. As the blank passesbetween the feeding and detecting rolls2, 17, the lower roll 17,1novingnp and-down in re sponse to any unevenness of the blank, detects or measu-reslthethicknessgrade :ofthe blank. Theyoke 26, which ismou-nted to follow the movements :of roll 17, transmits the detecting or. measuring motion through the, setting mechanism, including the Irods 26, the a IDS 33, thefrock shaft 34, thelever 35, the rod 86, the rack 41- and the shaft 44 V to the hand {15 on the-visual indicator, and also to the type-wheel 120, which is connectedby ,gearingito shaft: let, in the form shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, or by rack 149 to the rack slide 4-1, in the form shown in .Figs. 7and8..

Just before the blank enters the feeding rolls it engages atrip which withdraws pawl from ratchet wheel 48 as more fully de-, scribed in said Patent No. 1,686,487. Thus during the first part ofthetravel of the blankthrough the rolls the indicator hand andthetype wheel willremain unlocked and free to move in either direction-in response to the;detectin'g roll 17, and the grade meas urements will not be preserved' on the indicater or type wheel until the advance end of tlic blank reaches and liftsfthe trip wheel =60. This permits the blank to be graded selected area only, such as-the forepart of a sole (the grade of the heel being immaterial in :shoemaking), the sole being .fed into the machine heel end iirst. Asgsoon as the blankli-fts' wheel 60,,pawl 49 is engagedwv-ith ratchet Wheele6,.-t-hereby locking the in dicator andw'ty-pe wheelagainst registering thickness-aneasurements reater than that shown at the anoment, but zasipawl .50 ,is still held disengaged by the blankthe indicator and type wheel are hree toirespond t0 sue-n cessi' ely thinner spots in the blank, thus locked position of adjustment, preparatory preserving the measurement 'ofthegthinnest' spot detected and grading thegblank accord-. ing to such thlnnest spot. Just. betore the rear end of the blank'passes through :the

feeding and detecting rolls, it releases the of ratchet.

trip which holds pawl 50 clear wheel 48 and allows pawl 5'0 again to engage its ratchet.

The instant the blank passes out from between rolls 2 and 17, the roll 17, which has been held down by the blank, risesainloper-- ates the stamping plunger or striker 121 thus stamping the appropriate gradennirk on the blank whose measurement has now been completed. The blank now rests on the runway 62 of table 58 affording the operator time to read the visualindicator in its final,

to sorting it hand.

or otherwise: disposing of it by When the operatonpulls the blank by hand out from under trip wheel .60, the latter falls into the groove 61, thereby 1 .nlocking pawl 49, and automatically engaging the clutch between the drlvlng shaft 1 and shaftj' l and causing the described cycle of o 'ierations to be repeated.

Certain parts of the lnvention are applicable to machines for performing other 7 kinds of grading than visually indicating or marking. The term grading means, as established 1n this vart,'1s generic and-in- Tcludes many kinds of grading means, such as evening or skiving, visually indicating,

marking or stamping, and distributing or sorting devices. Accordingly the expression grading means Wlll be used lnthe claims 1n Tits generic sense, and is not to be construed as limited to any specific kind of gradingmeans unless the context so requires. Claims: 1. A. grading machine comprlsing a pair ".of feeding and detecting vrolls, one of which is mounted to yieldwith IGlitlJlOIl'lliO the other, gradingq means responsive to; said yielding roll, and setting mechanism-connect ing the yielding roll and thegra'ding mechainism, said setting inechanisnr; including a rock shaft, two arms fixed to the rockshaf't, two rods connected at one end to theyield- 1 ing roll and at the other end directly engaging said arms toadjust the rock shaft in accordance with the movements of; the

roll, and actuatingconnections between the rock shaft and the grading means.

2. In a grading machine a pair of yieldsepa able, feeding and detecting rolls,

The indicator and: type wheel are now locked bythe two pawls 50 and as. faganist movement in either direction.

and the yielding' rolls to be rotatedwholly by the blank.

8. In a grading machine a pair of yielding, separable, feeding and detecting rolls, 1'

one being a driving roll. and the othera driven roll, and gears connecting said rolls by which one drives theother when no blank is; between the rolls, the driven roll beingof smaller diameter than the driving roll,

whereby it will be rotated by a blank between the rolls at greater. angular speed than the driving. roll and will cause the teeth. of the gears to disengage.

4. In a gradingpmachlne a pair-ofyleld- 1ng,'.separable, feeding and detecting rolls,

onebeing a driving roll and the other driven roll, and gears connecting said rolls by which onefdrives the other when no blank isbetween the rolls, the driven roll being of smaller diameter than the drivingrcll, whereby it will be rotated by ablank between the-rolls atgreater angular speed than the driving roll and Wlll cause the teeth. of the gears to disengage, the spaces between the-teeth of each gear being suflicient to prevent .the teeth of the more rapid ly rotating gear from overtaking the teeth of the more slowly rotating gear while the blank is between the rolls.

5. In a grading machine a pair of yield ing, separable, feeding anddetecting rolls,

one being a: driving roll and the other a driven roll, and gears connecting said rolls by which one drives the other when no blank 1 1s between the rolls, the driven r011 being slightly smaller in diameter than the drivin roll wherebyit will be rotated by a-blan'k between the rolls at greater angular speed than the driving roll and will cause the' teeth ofthe gearsito disengage, each tooth of each gear being=cut away or mutilated on its inactive side'to provide clearances between the teeth sufficient to prevent the teeth of the more rapidly rotating gear from overtaking the teeth of the more slowly rotating gear while the blank is between the 6. In a grading machine, detectingmeans. grade marking mechanism including an adjustable type carrier responsive to said detectin'g meansand a striker, and means controlled the blank upon its discharge from the detecting means to actuate the striker." 7.111 a grading machine, detecting means,

grade marking mechanism including an ad'- justable type carrier responsive to said detecting ineans and a strikerf and means controlledby the detecting means upon the discharge of' the' blank therefrom to actuate the striker.

8. In a grading machine, detecting means I adapted to determine the thickness grades of j blanks engaged thereby, grade marking mechanism adjustable in accordance with" said detecting means, and means :oontrd'lled by the detecting means upon the discharge of :the blank therefrom to operate the grade marking mechanism.

9. In a grading machine, detecting means adapted to determine the =th'iclmess grades of blanks engaged thereby, grade marking mechanism adjustable in accordance with said detecting means, :and means controlled by the detecting means to operate the grade marking mechanism.

10. In a grading machine, a pair of detecting rolls adapt-ed to determine the thickness grades of blanks engaged thereby, one

of which yields with relation to the other,

grade marking mechanism adjnstable in accordance with the yielding detecting roll, and means controlled by said yielding detecting roll upon the discharge of the blank from between rolls to operate the grade marking mechanism.

11. In a grading machine, a pair of feeding and detecting-rolls, one of which yields With relation to the other, grade marking mechanism including an adjustable type Wheel responsive to the yielding detecting roll and a striker, and means controlled by the yielding detecting roll upon the discharge of the blank from between said rolis to actuate the striker.

12. In a grading machine, a pair of feeding and detecting rolls, one of which yields with relation to the other, grade marking mechanism including an adjustable type whee-l responsive to the yielding detecting roll, a striker cooperating with the type wheel to cause the latter to mark the blanks, a spring for propelling "the striker toward the type wheel to force the blank against the latter, means for automatically compressing the spring in timed relation to the passage of each blank through the machine, means for holding the spring in its 0ompressed condition, and means controlled by the yielding detecting roll for releasing spring to actuate the striker,

13. In a grading machine, a pair of feeding and detecting rolls, one- 0f which yields with relation to the other, grade marking mechanism including an adjustable type wheel responsive to the yielding detecting roll, 'a striker cooperating with the ty wheel to cause the latter to mark the blanks, a lever connected to the striker to initiate the projection thereof but leaving the striker free to complete its stroke by its own momentum, a spring acting on said lever for propelling the striker toward the type wheel to force the blank. against the latter, means acting through said lever for auto matically compressing the spring in timed relation to the passage of each blank through the machine, means for holding the spring in its compressed condition, and means connmmom trolled by the yielding detecting roll for re mechanism including a rotatable type wheel, I

and actuatingconneetions between the pointer shaft and the type wheel whereby the type wheel is adjusted to correspond to the adjustment of thezpointer and pointer shaft.

15. A grading machine comprising detecting means, a indicator including an adjustable pointer and pointer shaft, setting mechanism whereby the pointer shaft is responsive to the detecting means, marking mechanism including a rotatable type wheel, and gearing between pointer shaft and the type wheel whereby the type wheel is adjusted directly by and in accordance with the adjustment of the pointer shaft.

a grading machine, a pair of feeding and detecting rolls, one of which is mounted to yield with relation tothe other, a cross bar supporting the bearings of the yielding roll, a pair of spring pressed levers acting upon the cnoss bar to normally press the yielding roll toward the other roll, and adjustable, wear resisting, bearing plates interposed between said cross bar and levers.

.17. In agrading machine, a pair of detecting rolls, automatic feeding mechanism for feeding blanks one at a time to saiddetecting rolls, a for marking each blank as it passes through the machine, and means operated by said automatic feeding mechanism for actuating mid die.

18. In a grading machine, a pair of detecting mils, automatic feeding mechanism for feeding blanks one at a time to said detecting rolls, a die located in advance of the detecting rolls for marking each'blank as it passes into the detecting rolls, and means operated by said automatic feeding mechanism for tinting-"said die. a

.19.. A grading machine comprising apair of feeding and rolls, one of which is mounted to with relation to the other, grading means responsive to said yielding roll and setting mechanism for p6 transmitting measurements determined by the detectingrolls to the grading means, gears connecting said feeding and detecting rolls by which theyieiding roll is driven by the otherwhen no blank is between the rolls, and means by which the passage of a blank between the rolls will cause the teeth of the gears to disengage and the yielding roll to be rotated wholly by the blanks, whereby the measuring movements of the yielding roll will be transmitted to the grading means vuninflnenced by the engagement of the gears,

grading machine comprising :detect- Signed by us at Manchester, New Hampshire, this 17 day of September, 1928.

EDWARD M. COGSWELL, ARTHUR M. HEARD, FRANK L. CLARKE, Emeeutors 0f the We'll of Leander A. CogsweZZ, Deceased. 

